


into the multiverse of madness

by trappedoutside124



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, WandaVision (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Wanda Maximoff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Finale, Scarlet Witch is HERE people, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug, kind of?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:00:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29857755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trappedoutside124/pseuds/trappedoutside124
Summary: WANDA VISION SPOILERS AHEADAfter the events in Westview, Wanda escapes to a small cabin in the woods to learn all she can from the mysterious Darkhold she took from Agatha. When an old acquaintance meets her there to ask for her help, Wanda must decide whether she wants to fix the the chaos she accidentally created, and what kind of witch she wants to be.
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff & Stephen Strange, Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 7
Kudos: 129





	into the multiverse of madness

It took Wanda nearly three days to fly from New Jersey to Alaska. She was exhausted by the time she reached the cabin on the edge of the river. As soon as her feet touched the porch, she collapsed onto her back. This was the cabin Clint had told her about more than five years ago. An old safe house for SHIELD agents, it was unassuming enough for her to hide out in. The world couldn't touch her from here. 

She sprawled out on the old wooden porch, the boards creaking under her weight. The air was chilly and there was snow on the ground; she could hear the sound of the river bubbling along, breaking the silence. She breathed in the fresh air deep into her lungs. 

And she got up. There was work to be done. 

She locked the creaking wooden door behind her (she'd definitely need to fix that eventually) and placed the spell book she'd taken from Agatha on the kitchen table. The book--the Darkhold, as Agatha had called it--was thick and menacing. When she held it, she could almost feel the book's heartbeat. Waves of power washed steadily over her as her fingers traced the bindings. Agatha had called her the Scarlet Witch. The one that the book stated was prophesied for centuries. The most powerful being in the universe. 

Wanda recalled what she'd said to Monica: "Maybe I am the villain." Was that what she truly was? An agent of chaos, here to spread terror? 

" _No_ ," she said out loud, stepping away from the table. She shook her head as if trying to force the Darkhold out of her mind. "I am Wanda Maximoff. I am a sister. I am a wife. I am a _mother_. I am an Avenger." She gripped the countertop and sighed. 

"And I am the Scarlet Witch." 

In her heart of hearts, she knew that there was a way to get her kids back. Somehow, she would find a way to get to her twins and her Vision. And she knew that there was a strong possibility that the glowing book sitting on the table held the answer to her problem. Before, she let her grief overwhelm her. It sucked her into the blackest hole, unleashing her untrained chaos magic into the world. Now, she had even more to grieve, yet she didn't feel the overwhelming pain like before. Instead, she felt powerful, capable, and determined. She didn't know exactly how to control her powers yet, but she could. And she could use them for _good_ , not chaos. So, before she lost her nerve, she crossed the small kitchen and opened the book. 

At first, the influx of information and magic was too much. The immediate rush of information to her brain gave her headaches and she could only read a few pages at a time. By the end of the day, however, Wanda was reading chapters and chapters, unaware that time had passed. By the next day, Wanda learned how to astral project, allowing her to read and absorb information at a superhuman pace. She read and read, learning spell after spell, taking in the magic that fell off the pages like a sponge. In the back of her mind, Wanda could feel the darkness of it; this was hellish power, used by the darkest of sorcerers. 

But that didn't mean _she_ was a dark sorcerer. She was just a grieving mother. 

And this grimoire held the key to getting her family back. 

She could hear them when she slept, and in her dreams. The cries of her boys, the terror in Vision's eyes as he was picked apart in the town square. But instead of the overwhelming grief that used to wash over her, she felt overwhelming love. She was devastated, of course, but it was mixed with something else this time. She would not stop--she could not stop--until she found a way to reach them. Wanda could feel her family out there somewhere. Maybe they weren't in this universe, but they were somewhere. And she would say hello to them again. When she astral projected, she swore she could feel their presence. She wasn't sure if it was a memory or a premonition, but she was hell-bent on finding out.

More than a week after she left Westview, she was sitting on the porch, drinking a hot cup of tea while watching the elk cross the river down the hill. Her astral projection was speeding through another chapter of the Darkhold, learning new runes, new histories, new possibilities. The book was larger than it seemed and contained ancient magic in languages that Wanda struggled to make out. It was taking her longer, but she was steadily learning. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the stillness of the morning. Suddenly, her ears perked up. Her skin prickled; something was happening. A sizzling sound filled the air, and her astral projection was cut off abruptly. She dashed inside and made her way into the kitchen to find the disturbance. Something about the magic in the air felt familiar.

Sure enough, in the back of the cabin an orange ball of light was spinning faster and faster. Suddenly, Stephen Strange was in her house. She recognized him from the battle against Thanos and from Stark's funeral. He was incredibly serious, and his face didn't show any emotion as his dark eyes focused on hers. He stepped out of the portal and onto the cabin floor, his leather boots making a swirl of dirt fly around his ankles. 

"Ms. Maximoff. We meet again." He said, not moving forward. His eye contact was unflinching. 

A few days ago, Wanda would have blown him to pieces where he stood. Now, she wasn't afraid of anyone anymore. She knew her power; she wasn't scared of a Sorcerer Supreme. After all, the Darkhold foretold that she would be even more powerful than them. So, she looked him up and down before turning back to her cup of tea. 

"What do you want?" She said, not bothering to see if he was following her back into the kitchen. 

"Wanda, we need to talk. You have no idea what you've done to the balance of the Earth, of the universe even. We need to-" Strange was cut off when he saw the book laying on the kitchen table. His mouth fell open for a moment, and his eyes went wide. "Is that the Darkhold?" 

Wanda leaned against the counter and nodded, a small smile hiding behind her mug. "I've been learning from it."

"No, _no_. That book is evil, Wanda. It will corrupt you. It corrupts all it touches." 

Wanda sighed and dumped the rest of the now-cold tea in the sink. "I will be fine." 

Strange put a hand to his temple and rubbed. "Look, we can address this later. For now, I need you to come with me and fix what you did." 

"I already brought down the Hex. I left Westview. What more is there for me to do?" 

"Wanda, you ripped a hole in our universe. The multiverse is collapsing in on itself. If we don't fix it, and we continue colliding with other realities, the very fabric of our world will be destroyed. Permanently." 

As he spoke, Wanda gingerly sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. "Multiverse? I don't understand." 

Strange joined her, his cape floating gently down around him. "There are an infinite number of multiverses with infinite variations of each of us. Except for you, that is. You are a Nexus being; you are the same in every universe. You unite them all. And _that_ is why I need you to come with me. You are the only one who can help me fix it." 

Wanda paused, chewing her lip. Suddenly, a thought popped into her mind. "In other universes, are my kids alive?" 

Strange was taken aback by the question. He'd heard rumors that she'd created life inside the Hex only to lose it once the illusion was over. It was unheard of in any spellbook he'd come across. "Truthfully, I don't know. But I don't see why not." 

A nugget of hope; something for Wanda to hold onto. "And if I help you, I could find a way to get my kids back?" 

Strange rubbed his manicured beard as he spoke. "Your kids were born of infinity stone magic. If anyone can find a way to get them back, it's you." Slowly, he stood up. "Come with me to help fix this...this...this _multiverse of madness_ that you created, Wanda Maximoff. And you have my word I will do everything in my power to reunite your family." 

Wanda hesitated slightly, unsure if she wanted to possibly subject herself to yet another experience that could potentially leave her even more devastated and broken than before. Strange noticed and spoke again: "Wanda, you need to decide what kind of sorcerer you intend to be. Help the universe with your immense power, or leave us all to die to keep the magic for yourself. You don't need to choose now, but you must eventually. " 

Not trusting her voice, she simply nodded. Then, she cleared her throat and spoke with the confidence of a woman broken and built back up. "Yes, I'll help you." 

Strange gave her a curt nod of approval before turning on his heel and heading back into the bedroom. "We have one other person we need to pick up before we can fix this mess. He's on another planet, but I can find a way to get to him. Of course, there's a good chance Loki will refuse to help me, which is why I need you to persuade him." Strange continued his lecture as he conjured a portal to the sanctum, crossing into it without waiting for Wanda. Wanda paused to look around before she stepped into a new adventure. 

The evening sun threw orange light across the small cabin and Wanda shivered. She knew she would likely never return to this hideaway. 

Before she stepped into the portal, she grabbed the grimoire from the table and clutched it tightly. Even if Dr. Strange said it was evil, it could come in handy. There was still much to learn from the book and she wasn't ready to abandon her quest to understand it's secrets. 

She took a deep breath and followed Strange through the portal, feet leaving old wood and touching dark marble. As she rushed to catch up with Strange, she felt determination rise up in her again. She was the Scarlet Witch. She was prophesied about for centuries. She was more powerful than any sorcerer supreme. 

She was Wanda Maximoff. And she was about to enter the multiverse of madness that she helped create.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this IMMEDIATELY after the series finale. Tell me what you guys think!


End file.
